Safety-fuse for electric circuits



Patented Sept-27, I898.

G. W. GARDANIER. SAFETY FUSE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

(Application filed Dec. 16, 1897.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR ATTOR EY GEORGE VV. GARDANIER, OF NYAOK, NEW? YORK, ASSIGNOR OFTHREE- .FOURTHS TO DAVID G. BLACK, OF LAKE HILL, NEV YORK, AND

THOMAS J. SMITH, OF ROSELLE, NEWV JERSEY.

SAFETY-FUSE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,243, datedSeptember 27, 1898.

Application filed December 16, 1897. $erial No. 662,153. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. GARDANIER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Nyack, in the county of Rockland and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Fusesfor Electric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in safety-fuses for electriccircuits; and it con sists in the novel featuresof construction andcombinations of parts hereinafter described, and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to produce a more convenient and efficientcombined fuse and fuse-holder than those heretofore known to me and onewhich may be readily applied to the supporting panel or board andconveniently moved therefrom either to break the electric circuit orpermit of the examination or reapplication of the fuse.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is acentral Vertical longitudinal section of the fuse and its holderinterposed in the electric circuit. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the upperor removable portion of the holder carrying the fuse. Fig. 3 is a topView of the lower portion of the fuse-holder, and in this figure thedotted line 1 1 indicates the section on which Fig. 1 is taken; and Fig.a is a vertical transverse section of the fuseholder on the dotted line4: 4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A designates the lower portion of the fuse-holder, andB the upper portion or removable part thereof.

The lower portion A of the fuse-holder is adapted to be secured to theboard, panel, or other support by means of the screws indicated at a ain Fig. 1, and said portion A is of elongated form, as illustrated inFig. 3, its middle portions being elevated above the supporting board orpanel bymeans of the down wardly-projecting ends 0 O, which formsupporting-feet for the said portion A. The opposite sides of theportionA are lettered D D, and said sides extend upward and form betweenthem a chamber E, which incloses the fuse and the parts connectedtherewith, as indicated more clearly in Figs. 1 and at. The lowerportion A of the fuse-holder is formed with the vertical apertures E E,which receive the metallic sleeves F F, the latter receiving the plugs Gand having the lateral extensions H, to which by the usual meansillustrated the main conducting-wires I are connected.

The lateral extensions 11, connected with the metallic sleeves F, areapertured to receive the screws 1, and these screws 1 receive the nutsJ, washers K, and the ends of the main conducting-wires I.

The upper portion- 13 of the fuse-holder is in the form of an elongatedblock adapted to fit upon the sides D D of the lower portion A andhaving its upper portion in the shape of a handle L, which permits ofthe convenient withdrawal of the portion B from and its application tothe portion A. The upper portion B of the fuse-holder has secured to thelower side of its opposite ends by means of the screws M the plugs G,the upper portions of which are solid to receive the screws M and thelower portions of which are circular in cross-section and hollow andcomposed of the arc-shaped spring-fingers adapted to fit snugly withinthe metallic sleeves F, carried by the lower portion A of the holder.The plugs G are given the form and construction illustrated,particularly at their lower ends, in order that they may always firmlybind against the inner walls of the metallic sleeves F and form anelectrical connection with said sleeves. The fuse is secured at its endsto the small removable plates 1), and these plates are by means ofscrews, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, fastened to the sides of the plugs G.The fuse comprises the wires d e, the wire d being preferably a piece ofinsulated German-silver wire, while the wire 6 is made of soft alloy.The wire (Z is a resistance-wire, and its end is first attached to theend of the wire (2, and then said wire cl is wrapped around the wire 6to form the heating-coil f.

XVhen the upper and lower portions A B are brought together in theiroperative position, as shown in Fig. 1, the plugs G will at their lowerends enter the metallic sleeves I and the fuse will be inclosed withinthe space E, formed between the sides D D of the portion A and below thelower surface of the upper portion 13, the said fuse and its heating-coil f being thus securely protected, but at the same time beingcapable of removal by the withdrawal of the upper portion B from thelower portion A. When the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig.1, the fuse, composed of the wires cl 6, is, by means of the plugs G,metallic sleeves F F, and plate eX- tensions H, brought within the mainelectric circuit. Upon an undue current passing over the main conductorsI I the coil f will become heated, owing to the resistance offered byit, and will burn the wire 6, thus breaking the circuit and affordingthe desired protection. Upon any burning out of the fuse the upperportion B will be withdrawn from the lower portion A and a new fuse willbe applied to the plugs G G. The withdrawal of the upper portion B fromthe lower portion A of the holder removes the plugs G from the metallicsleeves F and breaks the circuit.

The lower and upper portions A B of the holder will preferably be formedof porcelain, and the upper portion B will, adjacent to its ends, beprovided with the recesses h of sufficient size to receive the screws Mand the means for fastening said screws into the plugs G. The recesses7t, after the screws M have been applied, will be filled withplaster-ofparis or like material, which will effectually conceal andprotect the heads of the screws M. The lower surfaces of the upperportion B, in line with said recesses h, are formed with recesses t' toreceive the upper polygonal ends of the plugs G, and said recesses t'prevent the turning of said plugs at any time and particularly duringthe application of the screws M.

It will be seen upon reference to Fig. 1 that the plugs G, fuse-wires d6, nuts J, and screws I are wholly inclosed within the space E, formedbetween the upper and lower portions A B.

The fuse and holder have been devised with the purpose of securingentire convenience and efficiency in use and ease of manipulation andmanufacture.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The fuse-holder comprising the upper and lower portions, one beingremovable from the other and said portions forming between them theinclosed chamber or space, combined with the fuse-supports carried bysaid removable portion and being in electrical con nection with the mainconductors, and the fuse connected with said supports and being withinsaid inclosed space and comprising the wires cl,e,in electricalconnection with one another, the end of the wire (Z being attached toand wound around the end of the wire 6 to form a heat-coil f;substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The fuse-holder comprising the portions form in g an inclosed spacebetween them, combined with the fuse in said space, and means connectingsaid fuse in the electric circuit, said fuse comprising the insulatedresistancewire (I and soft wire 6 connected with one another, and thewire at forming the heat-coilf around said wire 6; substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

3. The fuse-holder comprising the lower portion A of elongated form andhaving the sides D, D and apertures E, and the upper portion B havingthe handle L, and recesses h, t, and adapted to said lower portion A,combined with the metallic sleeves F fitting said apertures E and havingthe lateral'extensions H included in the electric circuit, the plugs Gfitting said recesses t'at theirupper ends, the screws M entering saidrecesses h and securing said plugs, and the fuse removably connected tosaid plugs, the lower ends of said plugs being formed of thespringfingers snugly fitting said metallic sleeves, and said recesses 7tbeing filled above the screw-heads therein with plaster-of-paris orothersuitable non-conductin g material; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 15th day of December, A. D. 1897.

GEORGE \V. GARDAN IER.

\Vit-nesses:

CHAs. G. GILL, E. .Ios. BELKNAP.

